


The first time you let me pick up the pieces

by SmileDesu



Category: New Avengers (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: Bullying, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 15:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7177208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileDesu/pseuds/SmileDesu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a Young Avenger meant nothing when you went back to school to face the same reality as before. The biggest difference this time was - you didn't have to face it alone, as much as Billy hated admitting it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The first time you let me pick up the pieces

Classes ended a while back. Students and staff scurried away to designated club activities or home, leaving the school's building mostly empty and its hallways vacant of any pesky eyewitnesses, or worse, authority figures. In short, it was the perfect setup for a hunt.  
"Get back here!" Sneakers screeched over murky floors as three teens dashed through the empty halls, missing sight of a fourth just as he turned a corner. Fumbling to slow down, the three took the same turn only to stumble to a halt at the realization their prey was gone.   
"Dammit... find him!" the current leader barked, and the three broke into sprints again, shoes creating the same distinct sound as before as the predators moved further down the hall and away from the janitor's closet. Inside, peeking through the shutters in the door, Billy Kaplan finally let out that breath he's been holding onto as he slowly lowered himself to the floor, one beaten teen among all the cleaning supplies.  
  
Billy wasn't a stranger to running for his life in this manner. Being anything but the spitting image of the 'norm' when one was in highschool was already a recipe for disaster, all the more when the way in which one differed made the ignorant masses consider them expendable. You were forsaken, abandoned, abused, and made to think it was your fault for existing in the first place. And in a way, Billy knew as he pulled his hand away only to wince and apply pressure on his side again - this _was_ his fault. He forgot this was what reality was like, and thought things could be different just because some precious few things in his life were actually going right. After all, it was never so easy to leave one's place in the food chain, was it? Even if he was all but god-like outside of it, or on the one time he foolishly sought to stand up for someone - not even himself.   
  
It's been three months, two weeks and four days since Billy's fateful bout with John Kesler, where his refusal to stand down triggered his powers and made the all-too-familiar scene take a turn for the unbelievable. Many things happened since, including a curious shift in the school's social structure. To put it simply, no one dared get close to Billy, friends and enemies alike. To the lone, abused boy, that was nothing short of a godsend, letting him focus on even more peculiar developments - like having new friends, or finding a boyfriend, or meeting with the man who would one day become Kang the Conqueror if they let it happen - he wasn't sure which of those last two were less believable, really; probably the former. But alas, good things lasted for only so long for Billy, and so the punch to the gut earlier that day was momentarily shocking, but not so surprising in hindsight. After all, Kesler was making progress with his recovery, and Billy? He was apparently just as punchable as before. His hit-points have gone up though, because where once it was enough to bring him to his knees, a punch and a half later and he was still able to run away, finding shelter in the janitor's closet.   
"...heh," he breathed. "Guess I'll have to... thank Nate later..."  
Stamina and endurance training were, by and large, Billy's least favorite items on the training menu. Still, he found himself oddly grateful for it right then, seeing how he wasn't a heap on the floor, helpless as punches and kicks, goads and slurs rained down on him. Now, he just stopped at the heap stage.  
  
There wasn't any time to enjoy that feeling. His phone sprang to life in his pocket, making his heart skip a beat. He fumbled for the device, wincing as the squirming made his body protest painfully. Of all the days to remember to unmute it after classes, it had to be today. Blindly he pressed on the screen before looking up at the shutters in the door where light came from, his heart pounding in his ears. Nothing. He waited a moment and then three more but no sound came from the door, no impending footsteps or signs of inevitable demise. Billy managed half a sigh before realizing he was wrong - there _was_ a sound, a subtle noise, coming from very close by indeed - between his hands, in fact.  
  
"Billy?" He didn't hang up, he realized with growing dread as Teddy's voice came from the device, clear and with an obvious undertone of worry. "You there?"  
Billy gulped as he stared at his phone, which kept emanating a voice that stood in terrible contrast to everything that was Billy's reality in that moment. Teddy represented everything that was good and right in Billy's life, this bright beacon of light he so often felt undeserving of. Hearing this voice made Billy's chest tighten as he hitched a breath. He wanted nothing more than to call him over, let Teddy hold him and fix things and tell him it was alright. Really, he did. Honest.  
"Bi--"  
It changed little the fact Billy hung up, the device left to rest in his lap as he leaned his head back against a broom. For all his yearning and longing, Billy couldn't let Teddy see him like this. So weak, and pathetic, and ugly. So very, very undeserving of him.   
  
_~But why?_ ~ a part of him insisted, a small, weak voice he had seldom heard before that sounded distantly like his boyfriend. _~You've done nothing wrong~_ Other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Oh, and being born with a sexual attraction to mortals of his own gender.  
_~None of that is your fault_ ~  
But that only made it worse, so Billy swallowed back a sob and applied pressure to his side again.   
  
Maybe not all of it was bad, he reasoned after a while when the pain bled away into numbness. After all, they say Spider-Man was beat up a lot in high-school, right? A cheeky, skinny guy, not unlike Billy, and look at him now - an Avenger. Heh, _Cap's_ been there, too, in the joyous days before the serum, and that was Captain America! All things considered, Billy kept some damn good company, didn't he? For all the good that did him. He was still hurting, rapidly bruising, and feeling worse than he had in weeks. So much for being a _hero_ , and no amount of 'what would Steve Rogers do' could hold back the tears stinging his eyes or the ache at his side or the lump in his throat.   
_~Maybe he'd have done exactly this~_  
It was a forbidden thought that upon materializing broke the dam. The tears, warm and salty, ran down his cheeks but were accompanied by no sound whatsoever, despite his lips hanging far apart. He wanted to scream, but he dared not. He could not, either way, the lump in his throat, the tightness in his chest all suffocating him. How did it come to this again? Why again?!  
  
His teeth clenched at the realization he wasn't mishearing things - someone was coming. It wasn't a hurried pace like before when they came for him, but that was far from enough to put him at ease, least of all when the footsteps kept coming closer. He licked his lips and clumsily wiped his face before pushing himself up. That was not a good position to be in when the door opened, sitting on the floor like that. Granted, he had no guarantee whoever it was _was_ coming for him - nor did he have any indication they weren't, and he'd be damned to be caught unprepared. He'd do something this time - _something_ \--  
A flash of blue tugged at his attention and he found his hand glowing, sparks dancing between his fingertips. His powers sprang to life, responding to his fight-or-flight instincts, just like before. Just like with Kesler--  
  
_~No!~_ Fist clenched, he pressed it against the wall, panic rising for completely different reasons now. Not that, anything but that! Whatever happened, it couldn't be as bad as knowing what he did to another human being. Couldn't be--!  
  
The light from the shutters was blocked. Billy froze. Someone was just outside the door. They found him. He had to run. But would he be able to? There were three of them before, they'd block his path. Fight? All three on his own? He'd lose. Hopeless-- the glow intensified, his powers buzzing, itching. _~No!~_ A hand fumbled with the handle from outside. He lost his balance, half tripped. His hand found something solid and smooth. A fire extinguisher. That would hurt-- the door was opening. He didn't want to hurt anymore.  
  
"WOAH!" came the exclamation from whomever it was the fire extinguisher was swung at. A familiar voice, but it didn't matter. There was just enough room for Billy to make a run for it, and he would've, if not for a hand at his wrist and the realization he had just made a grave mistake.  
  
"Billy, wait!" The words were hardly distinguishable over the loud _~clang~_ produced when the red container hit the floor. They weren't quite needed, however, as Billy finally recognized him - Teddy, precious, wonderful, amazing Teddy who was holding Billy's hand tightly enough to keep him in place, but not more lest he broke him. At least that's what Billy made out of the look in those beautiful blue eyes that looked at him with all the concern and worry in the world and no small amount of pleading and fright. Not that Billy had much time to dwell on that, eyes widening before he looked down at the discarded fire extinguisher. Teddy followed his gaze, uttering a small 'oh' when he saw what Billy was staring at.  
  
"OhmygoshIalmost--"  
  
"I'm _fine_!" Teddy stressed as he took half a step closer, one hand still holding onto Billy's wrist while the other reached for the mage's face, only to stop when Billy flinched. The gesture stung, but Teddy braved on, postponing dwelling on his own issues or the bloodlust boiling inside him for later. Billy came first. "Honest, I'm alright. Clean block, looks like all that training paid off." The attempt at keeping a light tone was only half hearted as concern kept gnawing at him the longer he looked at Billy's face. Finally he reached for him again, two fingers tilting Billy's chin up. The realization Teddy was, in fact, alright, finally sank in, because the next moment Billy broke eye contact, the frown settling on his face a mixture of pain and shame.   
  
"How are _you_?" Teddy finally asked, only to make Billy chuckle. How could he not? The question was laughable.   
  
~ _How do you_ think?~ Billy wanted to bark out, but half a glance in Teddy's direction made him melt, the bitterness wash away, leaving behind genuine want and need.   
"I've been better."  
  
That sounded about right, Teddy concluded with a nod. He then edged closer slowly, pausing when Billy tensed, but the next moment the distance was closed when Billy let himself practically fall forward against Teddy. The closeness made the changeling let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and he brought a hand up to tangle into Billy's hair. He never once let go of his hand, at most moving his own when he felt Billy poke at his forearm, silently begging for proper hand-holding. Teddy was only too eager to oblige.  
  
"How did you know?" Billy finally asked after a while, voice muffled against Teddy's shoulder where he buried his face. Teddy inhaled deeply, a noseful of Billy's scent.   
  
"I saw three of the goon-squad get chased away by a teacher. When you picked up but didn't answer, I figured something happened. The rest of it was dumb luck."  
  
"You mean you don't frequent the janitor's closet?"   
Dry cynicism - Billy's go-to defense mechanism. The way his voice was dry and flat only made it worse. Teddy gulped heavily.  
  
"I'd answer, but I'd rather keep _some_ things secret. Keep you guessing and interested."  
There was a huff of breath Teddy took to be Billy's best attempt at laughter, and he offered back a small nod. He then pulled away, only to realize he couldn't go too far given Billy's hand found its way to his side somewhere along the way, a silent request for him to stay close. A shadow of a smile tugged at Teddy's lips and remained there when he looked back up at Billy, hand brushing tousled bangs aside from his face.  
  
"C'mon, let's find your bag and go home. Mom won't be back until late again, you can lick your wounds without anyone seeing."  
  
"Are you no-one, then?" Billy asked, voice weak and soft, but with just an edge of determination, upset at the unsavory implication. It was endearing, but the true meaning behind it made Teddy frown.   
  
"I won't look if you don't want me to, but... you know you don't have to deal with this alone, right?"  
  
Maybe he didn't know, Teddy realized when Billy fell silent, a distant, astounded look on his face. He glanced at Teddy unsurely, and Teddy picked up on all the signs indicating he was closing up again.   
  
"What's next, you'll say this isn't my fault?"  
  
"If I need to. Because it isn't."  
  
There wasn't anything more Billy had to say to that, but it wasn't because he didn't want to. He struggled to find the words, that much was obvious, but at the same time Teddy could feel Billy squeezing his hand like his life depended on it. One more push should do it, right?  
  
"Billy, let me help. Please."  
  
That seemed to have done the trick. Billy buried his face in Teddy's shoulder again and tilted his head in what Teddy figured was a nod.  
  
"...Ok."  
  
They found Billy's bag where he dropped it and then made their way to Teddy's house. Billy took a shower while Teddy got the first aid kit and ice. He had prepared himself to be kept at an arm's length while Billy took care of himself, but stood corrected when Billy didn't take the small white box from him, didn't even shy away from neither his gaze nor his touch. It was an odd thing to say, that Teddy was _happy_ over anything regarding this incident... grateful. Yes, that worked better. He was grateful for every scratch and cut and bruise, not because they happened, certainly not for the pain they inflicted on Billy, but the fact they were in plain sight, exposed for Teddy to see, and tend to, and accept. He was as gentle as he could be, taking care of his boyfriend's injuries, and then finally, when the dam broke again, he kissed the tears away. "I'm here," he whispered when Billy finally let out a sob and simply let Teddy hold him. "I've got you." It was the least he could do to repay him, being allowed to see him so hurt and broken. At the absolute very least - he'd pick up the pieces.


End file.
